A Martinez

Although primarily known to soap opera fans for his heartthrob role as Cruz Castillo on "Santa Barbara" (NBC 1984-1993), A Martinez had a long and varied television acting career, having appeared in recurring roles and guest spots on dozens of shows going back all the way to the late 1960s. Among his more notable performances, Martinez landed recurring parts on the early '80s science fiction series "Whiz Kids" (CBS 1983-84), as well as memorable roles on such primetime dramas as "L.A. Law" (NBC 1986-1994) and "Profiler" (NBC 1996-2000). Martinez returned to soap operas in the 2000s, nabbing recurring roles on "One Life to Live" (ABC 1968-2012; Hulu 2013- ) and "The Bold and the Beautiful" (CBS 1987- ), before returning to more serious television fare in 2012 with a recurring role on A&E's crime drama "Longmire" (2012- ). He may not have been a household name (or initial), but with a career that spanned several decades and a multitude of different roles, A Martinez proved to be one of the most prolific television actors of his generation.